ACVA meeting 21 · 2026-02-09 — Committee Evidence — LegisWatch

Summary

The committee met to study barriers to entrepreneurship among veterans. Appearing were Lisa Cyr, a retired corporal and owner of a cat café; Fraser Zerebecki, a veteran and former combat engineer; and Angela Mondou, a retired captain and tech entrepreneur.

Lisa Cyr testified that she founded her cat café as a safe space for veterans and people with mental health challenges after leaving the military with PTSD and physical injuries. She identified institutional barriers, including complex administrative language and rigid program criteria that do not accommodate veterans with invisible injuries, as well as difficulty accessing financing for social-purpose businesses. She recommended flexible, humane and specialized programs tailored to veterans’ realities, and noted that she has had to use her own savings and pension to support the café and other veterans, including fighting to recover $35,000 in benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada.

Fraser Zerebecki described his unsuccessful attempts to start businesses after releasing, including a design company that folded and a homebuilding opportunity that failed due to lack of capital. He argued that veterans have strong drive and skills but lack access to financing, and that repeated business failures can lead to personal losses such as losing his home and marriage. He recommended creating a federal bank dedicated to veterans with three streams: accessible low-interest financing, grants for public-benefit ventures, and a shared-equity model where the government provides capital and advisory support in exchange for equity. He also urged that education benefits remain accessible throughout a veteran’s life.

Angela Mondou emphasized that veterans are a national strategic asset but are not receiving the same intentional support as other underrepresented groups, noting that her own company’s application for a defence investment initiative did not list veterans as an option. She recommended creating a one-stop shop veteran entrepreneurship pathway with 12 to 24 months of navigation support, a defence tech accelerator to pair veterans with the growing defence technology sector, and using that accelerator to facilitate access to capital and procurement enablers. She disagreed with the current approach by arguing that veterans should be explicitly included in diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The committee then proceeded to a round of questions. Members asked about the personal impact of entrepreneurship challenges, the reasons for financial barriers, and the gaps in existing Veterans Affairs supports. Witnesses elaborated on the lack of risk tolerance from lenders and the government, the need for ongoing education benefits, and the importance of educating civilian employers on the value of military experience. No procedural debate, motions or votes occurred during this meeting.

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Witnesses · 3

Lisa Cyr

Corporal (Retired) and Owner, Ma Langue Aux Chats Cat Café

Opening remarks

Madam Chair, members of the committee, thank you for giving me the floor today. I'm a Canadian Armed Forces veteran and an entrepreneur. I am also the founder of the Café félin Ma langue aux chats Cat Café, located at 307 Saint-Paul Street, in Quebec City. It is a site historically linked to military recruitment during the First World War. In the 1970s, it became a tavern called Le Veteran. Today, it is a space for remembering, gathering and support for veterans and the community. When I left the armed forces, I thought the toughest part was behind me. In reality, a new battle was awaiting me, the battle of entrepreneurship. The café is also an inclusive space, which over time has become a safe space for veterans and first responders. It also focuses on social inclusion and hires people with mental health challenges, such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. I chose entrepreneurship after my military service, not out of financial ambition but out of a need to rebuild. Following my service, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. I also have physical injuries to my knees, wrists, back and neck. With fibromyalgia, it's very hard…

Full testimony ↗

Fraser Zerebecki

As an Individual

Opening remarks

Good morning, Chair and honourable members of this committee. Thank you for welcoming me back to testify. I appreciate the seriousness with which this committee approaches veterans affairs. My name is Fraser Zerebecki. I served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 10 years, from 2007 to 2017. I joined as a high school-educated private at the age of 22, and I released as a corporal and disability beneficiary. In 2009, I deployed to Afghanistan as a frontline soldier and combat engineer. Like many veterans, my transition out of uniform was difficult, and like many veterans, it was also marked by achievement. Those two things often coexist. Veterans who complete demanding training, operational tours and leadership courses tend to share certain traits: exceptional drive, a high tolerance for risk and deeply ingrained character attributes forged under pressure, as well as discipline, accountability, mission focus and loyalty. Veterans are not short on ability. We are short on access. As I began my transition, I started a design company to support my family while still serving and during my release period. I received no business support from Veterans Affairs or from the Canadian Armed…